High Wire
by purewanderlust
Summary: Helena's gone and gotten seriously ill. No one can help her, at least, no one in THIS world. Meanwhile, Valentine takes part in a balancing act that could turn deadly. Who's going to help HIM? Not anybody from HIS world. HelenaValentine. Ficlet right now.
1. The Plunge

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own _Mirrormask_ anymore than I own Jim Henson or Neil Gaiman. Le sigh.**

When Morris found his daughter crumpled on the ground just outside the big top, his mind jumped back to the day, two months ago, when something very similar had happened to his wife and a thrill of terror rushed through him. He screamed for someone to call an ambulance and scooped her up off the damp ground.

"Helena, darling, can you hear me?"

"Daddy, I don't feel well." she mumbled without opening her eyes.

"I know, it's okay."

But, if he was completely honest, he had known for weeks that Helena was anything but okay...

_"Helena, aren't you hungry?" her mother asked, offering her a bowl of soup._

_Helena shook her head, her dark hair getting in her eyes. "No thanks, mum."_

_"But you haven't eaten in _days!_" Morris joined in. "Perhaps we should see a doctor."_

_Her eyes flashed, looking almost black, and, for a moment, Morris was frightened of his own daughter. "I refuse to see a doctor." she said cooly, standing up from the table and striding across the yard back to her own trailer._

That had been weeks ago. Now, as he watched his only child being loaded into an ambulance, he knew he should have insisited that she go.

For the first two weeks after her mother's recovery, Helena had been fine. She had stopped fighting with mum, helped come up with two fun new routines for the show and even befriended the new hand that he had hired, a young man named Jason. For a week, the two were almost insperable.

But after a few days, Morris had started to notice a change. Helena's face seemed paler and she shyed away from spending time with Jason. A few days after that, she started waking up in the middle of the night. By the end of the week, she could hardly sleep at all. He was really beginning to worry when, on the ninth day of her weird depression, she stopped eating. Just, _stopped. _Like it was no longer necessary.

And there were odd behaviors too. She refused to wear a mask when she performed, she threw her favorite bunny-slippers in the bin and every time she saw Jason headed her direction, she practically ran. Morris was beginning to belive that his daughter was going mad.

Now she was bound for the same hospital that Joanne had been in just months ago. As he followed in the ambulance in their beat-up old pickup, his wife babbled on concernedly. He was hardly listening. He just hoped his baby was alright.

**A/N: Okay, I KNOW that I just started another fic and I REALIZE that I have like nine unfinished ones. But this will be a ficlet only, I promise. I just couldn't write a oneshot. Please R&R! (Oh, and, for the record "Jason" is Real World!Valentine.)**


	2. The Proposal

**A/N: Like I said in the previous chapter, I don't intend to draw this out very long, but I plan to make it good, so I would appreciate reviews! Also, as is normal in fanon, I took some liberties with the Shadow Queen.**

**Disclaimer:**** No ownage. No suing. Thankyouplease.**

When he found himself suddenly transported from his street performance to the interior of a small, dark room, he didn't think much of it. Things like this happened quite often in the City of Lights. Especially to him, lately. He was, after all, a very important man.

"Valentine." the low, seductive voice behind him, though completely unexpected was also unmistakable and he shuddered involuntarily. "Valentine, turn around and face me."

Slowly, as if he wished to do anything else, he obeyed.

Lounging on a chaise by the fire was the Queen of Shadows, Lamya. A slow smile crossed her face and Valentine was reminded of a cat about to pounce. Another shiver ran through his spine.

"I'm surprised at you, Valentine." she said, sitting up. "Do you have no greeting for an old friend?"

He wanted to tell her that she was anything but his friend, but, instead, he opened his mouth and said: "I'm delighted to see you, your Majesty. To what do I owe the pleasure." Always the coward.

"Actually, I had thought to ask for your assistance in a...certain matter." as she spoke, her eyes seemed to shine from behind the mask. "After all, you do owe me."

"What?" in spite of his initial plan to remain silent, Valentine could not resist the exclamation. "How do _I_ owe _you_ anything?"

She was at his side before he could blink, leaning close, a snarl on her red lips. He stumbled back in alarm.

"You think I don't remember your betrayal?" she hissed. "Are you honestly dim enough to think that I would allow a lowly subject like you to get by without consequences?"

"I was unaware that I was your subject." he answered coolly. He felt bold suddenly, as he recalled the state that Helena had been in because of this woman. (And him, but he didn't want to think about that part.) "And I can assure you, madame that I am much more intelligent than yourself."

"You would do well not to insult me, Valentine." she said in a low voice. "I have plans for this kingdom and they require your help, voluntary or not."

"What do you mean?" he couldn't help the curiosity that her statement raised.

She straightened to her full height. "Too long have I been Queen over a small realm, far below what I deserve, while my sister, _Lucina--_" she spat, "Is a Queen over all of this!"

"And...your point is...?"

"I want it!" she cried. Then, reigning in her emotion, she leaned close to his face again. "And I will have it, with your assistance."

"Are you barking mad?" he asked. "What could ever lead you to believe that I would ever do anything for you again?"

"I can give you more gold than you would know what to do with." Lamya whispered. "More rubies and emeralds than a king."

Valentine laughed. "You can't bribe me with jewels anymore."

Her eyes shone maliciously. "I figured you would say something like that." she murmured. "But I'm sure _something _could convince you to help me."

"Nope. Nothing." he crossed his arms and looked away from her.

Nonetheless, the smile on her face didn't fade. Instead, she took a few steps away from him and pulled a heavy curtain back, revealing a window.

Light filled the room and Valentine blinked in the sudden light change. After a few moments, his eyes adjusted and he stepped cautiously towards the window. It seemed to be looking in to a large, white room. Another step brought a bed into his line of vision. A hospital bed. And lying in the bed was...

"Helena!" he exclaimed, pressing his hands against the glass. She didn't seem to hear or see him; her eyes were closed and she they didn't open. She was much thinner than last time he had seen her, and nearly as pale as the pillow her head lay on.

Valentine whirled to face the Lamya. "What have you done to her?" he demanded.

"Oh, so we _do _have a soft spot."

"What have you done to her?" he repeated, uncertain why he was so upset.

The Queen of Shadows shrugged. "Not much more than she's done to herself."

"You're saying that Helena did this to _herself_?" he yelled.

"Not all of it." conceded Lamya. "But she certainly made the job easier for me."

Valentine stared at her in wordless horror as she continued.

"But _you_ could save her...for just the price of your service." she said. "Unless, she means nothing to you, then I might as well dispose of her..."

"No." he said, his shoulders drooping in defeat. "I'll--I'll do whatever you want. Just--don't hurt her."

A cruel smile spread across Lamya's lips. "I thought you might change your mind."

**A/N: I made up the names for the two queens Lamya is an Arabic word for "dark" and Lucina means "light" in Latin, in case you care. :) R&R!**


End file.
